Plarn Rugs

This is a plarn rug I finished last week and sold in my Etsy store to a very nice lady in Georgia.
She said it was going into a treehouse! It measured 3 x 4. I have had more request for larger rugs and so I figure up my price based on 3.33 a square foot. It usually takes me 2 to 3 weeks to work up a large rug.

People really like them and it makes both of us feel good to know that more plastic bags have been repurposed and kept out of landfills.

Plarners

I would also like to keep track of all the wonderful plarners I find on the internet. I have still been spending my days working on plarning as well as working on household things. I am also getting into couponing!

So, I will use my blog to keep track of all the wonderful info I find on subjects that I'm really passionate about right now. My theme is truly becoming reduce, reuse, recycle.

Here is a great link to a wonderful tutorial about how to make plarn and crochet an eco-friendly tote bag.

http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/how-tuesday-how-to-make-plarn-crochet-an-eco-friendly-tote-b-7773/

I'm into making plarn tote bags again!!!

Boy have I been busy working on making Large Plarn tote bags. I figure since nobody is following me here I'll just have fun writing about my obsession with plarn right now! I seriously cannot seem to stop working with plarn. Now I'm going to work up a water bottle holder!!! Lots of people make them so I should too. I have two large plarn tote bags I made which are in the above pictures.

Recently, I have been working alot harder at my crocheting. I am taking it much more seriously than I have ever before. Because now, I see that I am starting to make a little bit at it which is like a dream come true. That was exactly what I had hoped for and now I hope that I can keep it going and make enough money to feel like I have a real job. But, it will be a REALLY, REALLY Fun Job that is helping recycle plastic that is so abundant right now. Good for Mother Earth and good for me. Now, I'm off to cut up some more plastic bags with my magic wheel. You know the fabric wheel. So, that I can work up the drink holder while I watch survivor tonight.

New Discovery

I learned how to make t-shirt yarn today!!! Also worked really hard on custom rug that someone is purchasing to put in a tree house. Can't wait to make lots more t-shirt yarn!!!! Pictures coming soon!

Like a Bag in the Wind

I love signs, the kind that mean something only to you. Three plarn signs in one day! A bird sitting in a tree with a piece of plastic in it's little mouth flapping in the wind which I think it was taking for nest building. A bag blowing in the wind at the grocery store that came right over to me. This morning another bag blowing in the wind right to our house! That's the one in the picture...this time I caught it on film!!!

How to make Plarn

If anyone would have told me that someday I would be having so much fun recycling by crocheting with plastic shopping bags....well, I probably would have thought they were nuts. But, I really, really, enjoy my plarn projects. It also really helps cut down on plastic that goes in the trash at our house and into our local landfill. I have several friends and neighbors supplying me with plastic bags now for my rugs and tote bags I make which you can find at www.lifeenergytherapy.etsy.com

I can't even remember where I first saw or heard about making yarn out of plastic shopping bags which is called "Plarn". But, I looked it up on the internet and found some really good directions that helped get me started. I spent one whole summer and endless hours with a cramping hand using scissors patiently cutting up my bags. So, todays entry is about sharing my own personal method in making plarn that has made the process go a bit faster. It is still time consuming but, it does help to save some time and make it easier.

Truthfully, it was my mom's idea and in fact this is what she bought me for Christmas that year of 2010. A fabric wheel and cutting board. Soon, I was off to cutting up plastic bags faster than I ever dreamed possible.



First I take the bags and lay them out flat. I may stack up anywhere from 10 - 15 bags. Like this picture below.



Then I fold the bags in half and then in half again until I have a strip that fits on my cutting board.



Then I take my cutting wheel and cut off the end seam of the bags.



Then I cut about 1 1/2 inch strips. I like to make the strips this size so it makes the plarn nice and thick for the rugs I make with them.


As I get to the top I cut off the handles on the bags.



This way I made about 60 loops all at the same time. Saving a lot of time and wear and tear on my hand!




Then I loop the loops together by a simple move of putting one end of the bag through the other and then pulling it tight.



The knot will look like this picture.



Now you roll your plastic yarn into a ball and your ready to make something!